Heel



Dec. 3', 1929. A. R. TAYLOR 1,737,812

HEEL Original Filed Aug. 5, 1925 atfiowfle y $1 fivveirl'or Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIE R. TAYLOR, OF HAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO NEW ENGLAND WOOD HEEL 60., OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS HEEL Original application filed August 5, 1925, Serial No. 48,267. Divided and this application filed November 13, 1926. Serial No. 148,211.

The present invention, while having other fields of usefulness, is more particularly related to heels.

The present application is a division of a copending application, Serial No. 48,267, filed August 5, 1925.

Boot and shoe heels are usually tapering in form and their surfaces are usually concave in a direction transverse to the direction of taper. The breasts of the heels are grooved cylindrically in a direction at right angles to the concavity. The intersection of the concave surface and the cylindrial breast groove naturally presents a curving outline when the heel is viewed from the side of the shoe, and the greater the curvature of this outline, the more objectionable is this appearance. It has therefore been proposed to modify the cylindrical character of the breast groove, in the endeavor to obtain a straighter outline, but prior proposals of this nature have been more or less clumsy and have involved complicated machinery for their attainment.

It is therefore an object of the present 1n- Y vention to provide a new and improved heel having a straight-appearing outline of the above character. Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

To the attainment of the above ends, a feature of the invention resides in retaining the cylindrical nature of the breast groove, but having the line of intersection between the breast groove and the tapering concave surface of the heel of such nature that it shall appear substantially straight when the heel is viewed from the side.

With these ends in view, the invention con sists of the improved heel or similar article hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of a heel constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective of the same; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a principle of the invention; Fig. 5 is a front view of the same; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a preferred breast-groove-cutting knife for making the heel of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a machine in which the knife of Figs. 6 and 7 may be used in accordance with the present invention.

A wood heel block or blank 2 is adapted to be clamped between a relatively stationary jaw 4 and a relatively movable jaw 6 that are relatively adjustable with respect to each other as shown more particularly in Fig. 8. The jaw 6 is adapted to be forced into clamping engagement against the block 2 by a handle 28. The jaws 4c and 6 are mounted upon a sliding member 22 that is adapted to be moved back and forth on a table (58 having legs 70, past a rotary cutter 14, by the handle 28. Rolls 34 or other antifriction means may be provided upon the slide 22 and resting upon thetable 68 to facilitate the sliding movement of the slide 22. The cutter 14; is shown constituted of knives 8. As heretofore constructed, the cutting edges of the knives have beencircular, to produce a circularly cylindrical breast groove in the breast of the heel block. As the heel block tapers from the upper end 12 to the lower end 16, the intersection 18 of the cylindrical breast groove with the tapering surface of the heel has been curvilinear, as shown in Fig. 3. The objectionable curvature has been the more marked in that the tapering surface of the heel is transversely conca ve as indicated at 20.

According to the present invention, the line of intersection produced during the breastgrooving operation appears substantially straight, as shown more particularly at 24 in Figs. 2 and 4. The preferred knife or knives used, preferably in plate form, as illustrated, are so shaped that on each side of the central portion 26, the cutting edge of the knife is provided with additional cutting edges 28 and 80, extending at a slight angle from the ends of the central portion 26, and merging gradually into the latter. The breast groove produced by this knife, though still cylindrical, is not circularly cylindrical. The central portion 26 cuts the central portion 82 of the breast groove, and the portions 28 and 80 cut away the portions 18. The line of intersection between the tapered surface and the breast groove of the heel may, in fact, be a plane curve; but it will, of course, appear straight when the heel is viewed from the side, as in Fig. 2.

Modifications will readily occur to persons skilled in the art, and all such are considered to be included within the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. An article of the class described having an irregularsurface and a cylindrical groove, the curve of intersection of the cylindrical groove and the irregular surface lying in subtantially a plane.

2. A heel having a tapering surface and a cylindrically grooved breast, the curve of intersection of the tapering surface and the breast lying in substantially a plane.

3. A heel blank having a tapering concave surface and a cylindrically grooved breast, the curve of intersection of the tapering surface and the breast lying in substantially a planet 7 4. A heel having a longitudinally tapering surface and a cylindrically grooved breast, the breast intersecting the tapering surface at opposite sides along two curves, and the two curves of intersection of the tapering surface and the breast lying in substantially the same plane. 7

5. A heel blank having a longitudinally tapering concave surface and a cylindrically grooved breast, the breast intersecting the tapering surface at opposite sidesalong two curves, and the two curves of intersection of the tapering surface and the breast lying in substantially the same plane.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. a

o A. R. TAYLOR. 

